I know this is a gambling forum but putting this into words has been great therapy as I'm all talked out on the phone (I'm typing this last actually).
My dog was adopted from a shelter almost 2 years ago so he's probably just over 3. His original owner left him intact until he was surrendered at 1.5 years and had zero obedience training. We went to obedience school and I tried to be as consistent as possible. This past year he started to exhibit aggression (ie he bit someone) so we immediately saw a vet and found nothing physically wrong with him and was told to consult a behaviorist. The course of treatment would naturally have to be lifelong and I thought we made some progress. I avoided the only known trigger at the time which was tethering him while I went to buy groceries or a java. If approached he would be very friendly then suddenly react by growling or getting snappy. So, he has never been tied alone again after that. Then this summer he went after a woman's feet after he dropped his ball and when it started to roll away, she shuffle kicked it to him from about 3-4 ft away. This led me and the behaviorist to think that he was probably kicked in the past and now this trigger is manifesting itself. So, no balls to carry around and no kicking motion in his vicinity. The behaviorist recommended that I try the motion from several feet away and treating him and then gradually moving closer which didn't work because all he cared about was the food. My friend tested him with kicks and treats in front of him and nothing happened except empty calories for the dog. No treats though while kicking would get him quite agitated.
Two weeks ago I was lying on the sofa and he was lying beside me. He wasn't sleeping but looking at me and when I touched the bridge of his nose to stroke him, he nailed me completely out of the blue with a vicious bite. I suspect this was a pain memory from when he tried to eat a hornet or bee this year and got stung in the mouth. Back then I tried to carefully feel for the stinger to get it out and when I got to his snout he bit me but backed off right away. This pain memory is entirely plausible.
A dog walker I greatly respect and we've had several conversations about my dog, said that he was probably punished as a pup with severe and physical treatment so that led him to use biting as his only outlet. She tested him in the spring when I told her about his behavior and he bit her too. She said he exhibited no warning signs you would see before a dog bites - so the biting is idiopathic (ie no real explanation for it) which led her to the conclusion of extreme punishment early in his life.
Last night my tenant said he was leaving because he and his GF just don't feel comfortable around him after he bit me and I will be getting new tenants in December. I simply cannot have this kind of liability walking around my house and at the dog park. What if he had bit a child who touched his snout? Of course I have been extraordinarily vigilant since the first incident and anytime there are kids at the dog park, we walk away. He was fine with kids before but I simply will not risk letting him near children.
I could re-home him or give him back to the shelter (they have no space and surrenders are by appointment only) but that is simply dumping him onto someone else and because he is such a cutie (seriously, women love this dog) they may not take his aggression as seriously as me.
I think the kindest course of action is to put him to sleep. He can't wear a muzzle 24-7 and if he is constantly muzzled, what quality of life is that for him? As the dog walker said, if he bites again, what are you going to do? Punish him? I haven't cried this hard in 20 years.
My dog was adopted from a shelter almost 2 years ago so he's probably just over 3. His original owner left him intact until he was surrendered at 1.5 years and had zero obedience training. We went to obedience school and I tried to be as consistent as possible. This past year he started to exhibit aggression (ie he bit someone) so we immediately saw a vet and found nothing physically wrong with him and was told to consult a behaviorist. The course of treatment would naturally have to be lifelong and I thought we made some progress. I avoided the only known trigger at the time which was tethering him while I went to buy groceries or a java. If approached he would be very friendly then suddenly react by growling or getting snappy. So, he has never been tied alone again after that. Then this summer he went after a woman's feet after he dropped his ball and when it started to roll away, she shuffle kicked it to him from about 3-4 ft away. This led me and the behaviorist to think that he was probably kicked in the past and now this trigger is manifesting itself. So, no balls to carry around and no kicking motion in his vicinity. The behaviorist recommended that I try the motion from several feet away and treating him and then gradually moving closer which didn't work because all he cared about was the food. My friend tested him with kicks and treats in front of him and nothing happened except empty calories for the dog. No treats though while kicking would get him quite agitated.
Two weeks ago I was lying on the sofa and he was lying beside me. He wasn't sleeping but looking at me and when I touched the bridge of his nose to stroke him, he nailed me completely out of the blue with a vicious bite. I suspect this was a pain memory from when he tried to eat a hornet or bee this year and got stung in the mouth. Back then I tried to carefully feel for the stinger to get it out and when I got to his snout he bit me but backed off right away. This pain memory is entirely plausible.
A dog walker I greatly respect and we've had several conversations about my dog, said that he was probably punished as a pup with severe and physical treatment so that led him to use biting as his only outlet. She tested him in the spring when I told her about his behavior and he bit her too. She said he exhibited no warning signs you would see before a dog bites - so the biting is idiopathic (ie no real explanation for it) which led her to the conclusion of extreme punishment early in his life.
Last night my tenant said he was leaving because he and his GF just don't feel comfortable around him after he bit me and I will be getting new tenants in December. I simply cannot have this kind of liability walking around my house and at the dog park. What if he had bit a child who touched his snout? Of course I have been extraordinarily vigilant since the first incident and anytime there are kids at the dog park, we walk away. He was fine with kids before but I simply will not risk letting him near children.
I could re-home him or give him back to the shelter (they have no space and surrenders are by appointment only) but that is simply dumping him onto someone else and because he is such a cutie (seriously, women love this dog) they may not take his aggression as seriously as me.
I think the kindest course of action is to put him to sleep. He can't wear a muzzle 24-7 and if he is constantly muzzled, what quality of life is that for him? As the dog walker said, if he bites again, what are you going to do? Punish him? I haven't cried this hard in 20 years.